2 Bornholm Offshore Wind Farm
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Bornholm Offshore Wind Farm Environmental Statement Part 0: Non-Technical Summary April 2015 Colophon Title: Bornholm Offshore Wind Farm. Environmental Statement. Part 0: Non-Technical Summary. Keywords: EIA, ES, Offshore wind farm, nearshore, Natura 2000, Annex IV, marine mam- mals, fish, fishery, birds, bats, noise, landscape, visual impacts, navigation, avia- tion, radar. Publisher: The Danish Energy Agency (Energistyrelsen) Author/consultant: Energinet.dk, NIRAS Language: English Year: 2015 URL: www.ens.dk/kystnære or www.ens.dk/nearshorewind ISBN No. Electronic Version: 978-87-93180-00-0 Publisher Category: Governmental What is EIA? EIA is an acronym for Environmental Impact Assessment. Among other things, regulations for environmental impact assessments are in- tended to ensure that power production facilities at sea, which may be assumed to substantially impact the environment, can only be erected following a so-called Environmental Statement (ES). The goal of producing an ES is to provide the best possible foundation for both public debate and the final decision to implement the project. In the ES the direct and indirect impacts of the project on the envi- ronment are investigated, described and assessed. This includes impacts on: People, animal and plant life Soil, water, air, climate, and landscape Material goods and cultural heritage The synergy between these factors The ES is published and provides basis for public debate. Based on the ES and the comments received during the public hearing The Danish Energy Agency (Ener- gistyrelsen) evaluates whether the project is accepted with the described envi- ronmental impact and makes the final decision on the project’s implementation. Table of Contents Part 0 Non-Technical Summary ..........................................................1 1 Introduction............................................................................... 2 2 Bornholm Offshore Wind Farm ................................................. 5 2.1 Design of the Offshore Wind Farm...................................................................7 2.2 Construction of offshore wind turbines and cable corridor............................9 2.3 Decommissioning the Offshore Wind Farm ..................................................12 2.4 Investigated Alternatives.................................................................................13 2.5 Time Table ........................................................................................................13 2.6 Environmental Impacts and the Environmental Impact Assessment as a Worst Case Scenario ........................................................................................14 3 Landscape and Visual Impacts .................................................. 15 3.1 Landscape, Cultural Heritage and Visual Conditions ...................................15 3.1.1 The Offshore Wind Farm.................................................................................16 4 Population and Health ..............................................................21 4.1 Emissions and Noise........................................................................................21 4.2 Fishing ..............................................................................................................21 5 Plant and Animal Life............................................................... 22 5.1 International Nature Conservation................................................................ 22 5.1.1 Natura 2000 Areas...........................................................................................22 5.1.2 Annex IV-species..............................................................................................24 5.2 Current and Wave Conditions.........................................................................25 5.3 Sediment...........................................................................................................25 5.4 Seabed Animal and Plant Life .........................................................................25 5.5 Fish....................................................................................................................25 5.6 Marine Mammals............................................................................................ 26 5.7 Birds ..................................................................................................................27 5.7.1 Staging Birds ....................................................................................................27 5.7.2 Migratory Birds ............................................................................................... 28 5.8 Migrating Bats .................................................................................................29 6 Other Environmental Concerns................................................30 6.1 Air Quality and Climate...................................................................................30 6.2 Archaeological Cultural Heritage ...................................................................30 6.3 Radar and Radio Links.....................................................................................31 6.4 Aviation .............................................................................................................31 6.5 Navigation........................................................................................................32 6.6 Commercial Fishing ........................................................................................33 7 Cumulative Impacts.................................................................. 34 7.1 The Marine Environment................................................................................34 8 Mitigation Measures................................................................. 35 8.1 The Marine Environment................................................................................ 35 9 Conclusion................................................................................ 37 Part 0 Non-Technical Summary This Environmental Statement for Bornholm Offshore Wind Farm consists of five parts: Part 0: Non-Technical Summary Part 1: Introduction and Background Part 2: The Marine Environment Part 3: The Onshore Environment Part 4: Summary and Conclusion. This report the ‘Non-Technical Summary’ is Part 0 of the Environmental State- ment for Bornholm Offshore Wind Farm. For additional details about the struc- ture of the report in its entirety, please refer to the readers guide in Part 1 of the Environmental Statement: Introduction and Background. Offshore Wind Farm (Photo: Energinet.dk). 1 1 Introduction Like many other countries, Denmark has a significant energy policy challenge in terms of securing energy supply, while helping to reduce global warming by re- ducing emissions of greenhouse gasses. To meet the challenge, on March 22, 2012, a broad political majority in the Dan- ish parliament, Folketinget, passed an Energy Policy Agreement for the period 2012-2020. The goal is that Denmark’s entire energy supply (power, gas, heating) and trans- portation will be based on sustainable energy in 2050. The energy policy agree- ment will ensure that wind power will produce 50 percent of the total Danish power usage by 2020. As part of the implementation of the energy policy agree- ment it was decided that 450 MW offshore wind turbines divided into 6 near- shore wind farm areas must be erected before 2020. On July 14, 2014 a large majority of the parties in Folketinget joined the government in a growth package agreement. As a result, the call for tenders for nearshore wind tur- bines was reduced from 450 MW to 350 MW. The analyses and research which forms the basis of this Environmental Statement are based on the intention to establish a total of 450 MW nearshore wind turbines. Subse- quently, it has been assessed that this reduction will not affect the assessments and conclusions of this Environmental Statement, because the goal of establishing a 50 MW offshore wind farm in the area covered in this Environmental Statement remains un- changed. In November, 2012 the government and the parties to the agreement decided that research and calls for tender for erecting nearshore wind farms as well as plan- ning for cable landfall and necessary improvements to the power grid on land must be completed for six areas for nearshore wind farms. The six areas are: Bornholm, Vesterhav Nord, Vesterhav Syd, Sæby, Sejerø Bugt and Smålands- farvandet. In each area a maximum of 200 MW offshore wind turbines may be erected, however, in the Bornholm area the maximum is 50 MW. The locations of the areas are shown on Figure 1-1. The call for tender for all six areas will be issued by the Danish Energy Agency (Energistyrelsen) and bids received for all areas will compete against each other. The expectation is not to establish nearshore wind farms erected to the maximum capacity allowed in all six areas, since only a total of 350 MW will be awarded. In order to strengthen local ownership, the parties to the energy policy agreement have decided that an agreement (Køberetsordningen), which is in force for wind turbines on land, will also be in force for nearshore wind turbines. The agreement allows local citizens to by equity shares in a future wind turbine project thus own- 2 ing a part of any future profits. The developer of the wind farm is required to offer at least 20 % of the project for sale to local citizens. Figure 1-1. Locations of the